My Poproks

Artist: Santogold & Diplo
Track: “Guns of Brooklyn (Doc and Jon Hill Dub)”
Album: Top Ranking

If you really like the pants you’re wearing right now, do not listen to this new track off of Santogold and Diplo’s new mixtape, Top Ranking (you know, cause you will piss yourself). “Guns Of Brooklyn (Doc and Jon Hill Dub)” is, obviously, a cover of the Clash classic “Guns of Brixton.” The mixtape, on Mad Decent, is available at Turntable Lab For $12. Fader posted up a free download of the track, here. Goodies!

Download: “Guns Of Brooklyn (Doc and Jon Hill Dub)” by Santogold & Diplo

Artist: All Natural
Track: “You Know My Name” feat. Phaze II
Album: Elements (Fire)

All natural are a Chicago based hip hop duo made up of Capital D and DJ Tone B. Nimble. All Natural recently released their fourth album, Elements (Fire), the first in a series of four albums that will each represent a different “element” of hip hop. “You Know My Name” was the first single and video shot for the album.

Artist: Lil Wayne
Track: “Let the Beat Build”
Album: Tha Carter III

Seriously, how can you hate on this record? This is the sickest Kanye beat…ever? I thought I’d be sick of the vibrato thing by now…I’m lovin’ it (and he actually completely lays off of it on this track). Everything about this is perfect. This brings a tear to my eye.

Rumor has it Tha Carter III has a chance of cracking a million sales for the first week. Do it, Weezy. Do it.

That’s how you let the beat build, bitch!

Artist: Julian Casablancas, Pharrell, and Santogold
Track: “My Drive Thru”
Album: Converse Commercial

For real. The new promo campaign for Chuck Taylor’s Converse sneakers has brought together a pretty cool trio of artists. The track blends together the style of all three equally. In other words, it sounds a bunch like N.E.R.D., which is awesome. This is very fun.

*All of you yelling “sell out” needs to get over itz.

Artist: Los Halos
Track: “Dagger Bones”
Album: For Ramona

Check it people: I just downloaded an MP3 off of Amazon for the first time, and created an imeem My Poproks account so I could post about this song. It came into my Pandora “My Indie, etc.” station yesterday, and I not-so-immediately posted about it (but I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t been busy at work).

Los Halos, a one man band by the name of Eli Wegner on Seattle’s Loveless Records, sings and plays all instruments on his 3 releases, including his 2002 debut, For Ramona. This track, “Dagger Bones,” is a 6 minute indie rock orgasm; with lovely guitars, quiet vocals, simple lyrics, and some casio keyboards (one can only hope).

I absolutely love every second of this. It doesn’t seem as if Eli is still releasing records under the name Los Halos.

Listen: “Dagger Bones” by Los Halos

Artist: Holliewood
Track: “Brooklyn Keeps on Takin It”
MP3

The debut single from Brooklyn’s Holliewood is hella old school, and it’s not just the Fresh Prince haircut and boombox. “Brooklyn Keeps on Takin In” is a practical homage to classic hip hop, with shout-outs to KRS-One, and pretty much every neighborhood in BK (”We got Fort Greene, we got Red Hook, We got Carnasie,” etc.). This is an awesome track.

Artist: Estelle
Track: “More than Friends”
Album: Shine

I will admit I did not like “American Boy” the first, or even the tenth time that I heard it. Despite all the Kanye and the Will.i.am (we all know how much I love me some Kanye). But it’s grown on me viciously, and even more good news is that this is one of the bottom songs on the album. I love this album. My favorite song this week is “More than Friends,” produced by Keezo Kane (Talib Kweli, LL Cool J), it’s just a catchy, awesome Pop R&B track. It actually reminds me of John Legend, who coincidently executive produced the whole record. Grower singles can be tricky.

Artist: Bruce Springsteen
Track: “Jersey Girl”
Album: Live/1975-85

Discussions sparked yesterday with some family and friends after I forwarded that stream of the new Scarlett Johansson Tom Waits cover album. I love the album. I don’t really know what that says about me, but according to most reviews so far it says I don’t really know what I’m talking about. As someone who was never really huge into Waits, I’d imagine that I’m probably hearing it from somewhat unbiased ears; Kind of like how I thought Across the Universe was a peice of poopy [mostly].

Either way, we got into a discussion of Tom Waits covers, and this came up as a favorite of mine. I immediately got into a serious Bruce mood last night and loaded up my iPod with Darkness on the Edge of Town, Born to Run, and Nebraska. It’s going to be a good day.

Artist: Tona
Track: “Dial Tone”
Album: Don’t Holla EP

Toronto based rapper Tona dropped the Don’t Holla EP in 2007, but this track is still fresher than fresh. What sounds like a combination of grime-y British beats (Dizzee Rascal’s “Fix Up Look Sharp” to be exact) and new school underground indie American acts, there’s nothing to dislike about this simple, clever hip hop track.

24 inches ma, and I ain’t talkin’ bout tires.

Artist: Coldplay
Track: “Viva La Vida”
Album: Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends

Another new track from DAHF; an overwhelmingly different sound for the band thanks mostly to a predominant orchestra section…and lots of bells. All kinds of bells…

I’m very excited for this record.

Also, “A Spell a Rebel Yell” (that exclusive NME vinyl track), is out now.

Artist: Life The Great
Song: “Stupid Fresh”
Album: Ultra Sound

New video for “Stupid Fresh,” the first single off of Atlanta rapper Life The Great’s Ultra Sound. I think this came out about 25 seconds ago on Urban Acres. I do not know much else about this, other than that Life got Snoop Dogg to play his release party, you can download the entire album for free, and you can preview the tracks using an original Nintedo controller. I mean…

What’s not to love?

And yes, there is a DeLorean involved.

…thanks SDSU.

Artist: Phantom Planet
Track: “Raise the Dead”
Album: Raise the Dead

Maybe I haven’t been entirely truthful about how much I enjoy Phantom Planet - or maybe I have. Either way, the title track from their new album (out today), is quintessential Planet catchy California pop. I’m streaming the record right now on AOL, and I am loving it.

Artist: M83
Track: “Graveyard Girl”
Album: Saturdays=Youth

I discovered M83 the way many an indie band are discovered in this new age of information; from a car commercial.

I remember hearing the track “Don’t Save Us from the Flames,” which had no distinguishable lyrics, and having a hell of a time tracking it down. Its album, 2005’s Before the Dawn Heals Us, ended up on many a top 10 list that year. The band’s epic arrangements and interesting electronics are still present on the new single, but “Graveyard Girl” leans more towards solid pop songwriting, which as you may know is more than fine with me. A Yummy treat from the 80’s New Wave cook book.

Saturdays=Youth gets an April 14th release on Mute.

Artist: Blu & Exile
Track: “Blue Collar Workers”
Album: Below the Heavens

Above is the new video for Below the Heaven’s “Blue Collar Worker,” the new single off of the Blu & Exile album. The rapper/DJ underground duo from LA released one of the stronger hip hop albums of 2007, hailed by many as the best. This song and video definitely have a cool summer vibe, a much needed break from the still windy, still freezing NYC (yeah, I’m cold). Great track…

Artist: Bomb the Bass feat. Fujiya & Miyagi
Track: “Butterfingers”
Album: Future Chaos

I guess this is more a videooftheweek rather than song (though the song is not bad…). Bomb The Bass, or more specifically, Tim Simenon, is an English dance and electronica DJ on Electric Tones (his own Amsterdam based label). His 7th release, Future Chaos, is set for a May release. Featuring Fujiya & Miyagi, this is the album’s first song and video; an animated minimoog?

Damn, why didn’t I think of that?

Believe it or not, thanks Kanye.

Artist: The Spinto Band
Track: “Summer Grof”
Album: Moonwink

The Spinto Band, an indie outfit from Wilmington, Deleware with 4 albums under their belt, have announced very little about the new video above. The video was posted up last week on the band’s myspace page, and comes along with an indie-rock tune that’s catchy as hell (who doesn’t love hand-claps?). The video was directed by Albert Birney (who doesn’t love water balloon fights?). Their new album, Moonwink, is soon to follow.

Artist: The Dodos
Track: “Fools”
Album: Visiter

A great song by San Franciscan duo, The Dodos. They were a favorite at SXSW (check out this halfway decent quality video on youtube of their performance at Bourbon Rocks), and their debut album, Visiter, was praised rather favorably by the likes of the ‘Fork (8.5!). Kudos! Above is the official video for their single, “Fools.”

Artist: Kaki King
Track: “Pull Me Out Alive”
Album: Dreaming of Revenge

I am such a picky bitch when it comes to female singer-songwriters, chickbands, or even female fronted bands (though many of my absolute favorites fall into this category). With that said, I love this. I haven’t heard much about her, but she is by no means a new comer. “Pull Me Out Alive” is off of her 5th record, Dreaming of Revenge (came out March 11 on NY indie label, Velour), and the song’s video was made without any film cameras.

Via Kaki’s Youtube page: “It consists of over 5,000 still photographs shot on Nikon D30s. There are no special effects; all of the light trails were created by hand, with up to eight individual “light animators” flashing LEDs and flashlights on and off over a long (8 second) shot exposure.”

Umm. That’s cool.

Artist: Big Boi featuring Andre 3000 and Raekwon
Track: “Royal Flush”
Album: Sir Luscious Left Foot

Love this. The first track to surface off of Big Boi’s second solo record, Sir Luscious Left Foot, set for a release sometime later this year.

There are very few that KILL IT everytime, and Andre and Big Boi selfishly snagged two slots on that list. Really, it must be a burden to be this awesome.

Artist: Gnarls Barkley
Track: “Open Book”
Album: The Odd Couple

I’m trying very hard to avoid the fan-boy 10 star rating for Gnarls Barkley’s new record (which shock-dropped Tuesday on iTunes). But….Christ. The creativity and originality of Brian Burton and Thomas Callaway is mind-boggling on all levels. No, there is no “Crazy” on this album. However, to ever expect another “Crazy” on anything ever again is pretty unreasonable, and…er…crazy. There likely will never be another “Crazy.”

What is sure to be the first of 13 Gnarls Barkley Songoftheday entries; “Open Book” off of their Crazy-less (and iTunes #1-ish) album, The Odd Couple.

I mean, damn. Yo. Damn.